Nigeria civil society pushes ICC bill

Nigeria has taken a significant step toward global justice as a bill making it possible to punish genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes passed a second reading before the country's House of Representatives.

The Nigerian national Coalition for the ICC (NCICC), which coordinates Nigerian civil society working on ICC issues, worked with the Working Group of the Federal Ministry of Justice to produce the draft of the bill. Putting it to the National Assembly has taken a long time, but recent close work between civil society and members of the Assembly have brought the bill to it's current advanced stage: the bill passed both a first reading and then a second reading within this same week.

The House Committee will now take up the bill in a hearing, while the NCICC is working to ensure public consultations occur early enough to preserve momentum around Nigeria's historic move. NCICC has made itself available to assist the Committee staff in revising the bill based on feedback they receive during the hearing - depending on funds, the hearing could happen this very month.

With some already asking whether international crimes in Nigeria will be the next ICC challenge in Africa, much could ride on the ultimate success of the Nigerian ICC bill.

South Africa revokes ICC withdrawal notice

South Africa has formally revoked the notice it sent to the UN in October 2016 of its intention to leave the ICC. South Africa's decision follows last month's domestic high court ruling that the move was unconstitutional absent prior parliamentary approval.

With parliament now set to consider withdrawal, there remains much work to do. Join us in calling on South Africa to stay with the ICC.

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